


You put a beat in my heart

by Louie_writes



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, This is a birthday present, and they watch carole and tuesday, anwyas, do i tag the fandoms???, hwo do i tag that???, idk - Freeform, idk how to tag people that are jsut metioned or cosplayed, kuroo and tsukki go to a con and cosplay and fluff happens and bo and kaashi are there, like the cosplay bnha characters and naruto characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 05:23:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19717069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louie_writes/pseuds/Louie_writes
Summary: Kurotsukki con-going cosplay fic. Losely based on Cat person dog person, if you know the story you may recognise some elements, but if you don't is fine because my beta hadn't read prior and wan't lost so this can be a stand alone.----Kei had been ABSOLUTELY FUCKING RIGHT when he had been wary of both the looks Kuroo and Akaashi shared both when they decided which day Kei would spend cosplaying with them AND then one they had shared at the sweet things stall.Akaashi had been unimpressed by Kei’s poisonous looks but Kuroo had the decency to look awkward about the whole situation.“Well, we had booked for four people and originally—well, my ex was gonna come but well, as you know she wasn’t keen and then well uh, things happened and you know… now we’re here.” He shrugged awkwardly in conclusion.Kei was still angry at him (and Akaashi) for roping him into this but at least Kuroo was awkward as well.“All right, what do you need me to do?”





	You put a beat in my heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Toboe1087](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toboe1087/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Cat Person, Dog Person](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16912305) by [Louie_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louie_writes/pseuds/Louie_writes). 



> Fic title from the song "Unbreakable" as sung by Crystal from Carole and Tuesday
> 
> it's a birthday fic, a bit early but hoenstly there is worse problems in this world. enjoy

Kei knew he had been right about dressing up today.

Going to a convention dressed in cosplay was sure to spark attention, from both the normal crowd as well as from fellow con-goers.

At least the normal crowd would leave it be with odd looks and impolitely-polite turned-away faces to somewhat hide their distaste.

The con-goers would  _ directly approach him _ and ask for pictures.

The day before he had been invisible. His fellow companions, Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kuroo, had been in cosplay, whereas he himself had worn normal clothes. So instead of having pictures being taken of him, he was the one behind the camera. Outshone by the people actively participating in their fun little hobby, rendering Kei completely invisible in their unshakable focus. Today, though, he was part of the attraction.

Five whole groups of people had stopped them and asked for pictures, Kuroo alone stopped two groups with cosplays from shows Kei didn’t watch as he took pictures of Kei and the strangers, giggling to himself.

His only delight was in the fact that he wasn’t expected to smile or enjoy himself in any way. You see, he was cosplaying as Aizawa or Eraserhead from My Hero Academia, and looking ruffled and displeased with his situation was his brand.

So at least there was that.

And for his own credit, Kuroo himself went as Present Mic, from the same show. Putting on a whole show about being loud and enthusiastic, and pulling attention away from Kei himself, which also helped.

Kei didn’t remember Kuroo to be quite that loud and attention-seeking when outside of the costume, but he must have slipped into his acquired role just as easily as Kei had slipped into the role of Aizawa.

What Kei didn’t like though was that Kuroo was being loud and enthusiastic and annoying  _ all over him _ . It was fine with other people, but Kuroo dragging himself over Kei, and yelling his name loudly whenever or singing about him at top volume was  _ embarrassing _ .

And Kuroo knew it.

And also knew that Kei hated it.

Fucking bastard.

To make matters worse, their pleased-displeased dynamic attracted  _ even more _ eager photographers, who ‘dig the whole Erasermic vibe’ as they would put it. One girl said that she started to ‘ship Erasermic because of your chemistry.’

Honestly, as long as Kei was allowed to look displeased in the pictures and tell Kuroo to shut the fuck up whenever, it was somewhat bearable.

On the other hand, Kei took great pleasure from knowing that Kuroo’s social energy would consequently run out much sooner than his own since Kuroo was wasting it all away at once, and Kei, in turn, was in energy saving mode.

They finally,  _ finally _ entered the halls.

And Kei immediately wanted to turn around.

_ It was so big. _

_ And there were so many people. _

Akaashi, next to him, had a program in his hand, explaining to the group which panel or event or autographing hour they would go to when, and what sort of favourite artist or publisher was to find where.

Kei barely heard any of it; the stimulation around him was getting too much. Too many people, too much noise.

“I know what we’ll do first,” Kuroo’s voice broke through the rising noise and Kei’s impending panic, “we’ll go there.” The arm not slung around Kei’s shoulder was used to point at some sort of nutritional establishment. A character café of some sort. Probably from some kind of idol show. It was incredibly adorable, very  _ moe _ as Akaashi would put it. Kei didn’t see why Kuroo wanted to go there.

“You are aware that all the food here is unnecessarily expensive. That’s why we packed lunches after all.” Akaashi said, visibly displeased. At least to an Akaashi sort of degree.

“Listen: it’s for the aesthetic.”

“The aesthetic of spending unnecessary money?”

“No it’s—just let me do and judge me later.”

They followed Kuroo to the entry of the café, which had a surprisingly long line for being ‘incredibly overpriced’ as Akaashi had put it, and because they were all assholes, Bokuto and Akaashi demanded to be given treats as well. Kuroo made a stinky face at them but agreed to their demands.

The inside of the café was getting more and more crowded, despite the early hour, so Kuroo went in alone and twenty minutes later came out with their orders. The last takeaway cup went to Kei, which he hadn’t expected honestly.

“—And one tall, flat white with extra sugar,” Kuroo said with his trademark lopsided grin, but in an incredibly honest and also endearing sort of a way. “Since you have a sweet tooth and don’t drink too much coffee.” 

Kei took the cup, thanking him silently; a bit startled but genuinely pleased to have gotten a gift.

“I see what you meant with the ‘aesthetic’ now,” Akaashi said nodding and pleased.

‘Aesthetic’? Kei couldn’t see what such a good aesthetic was about emo hair, baggy clothes, and a three-day (painted on) stubble, and a displeased face, and a moe take-away coffee cup—

Oh. Oh right, that made sense.

Sadly just at that moment,  _ two separate groups _ asked them to take pictures because ‘I need a pic of exasperated Aizawa with a moe take-away cup.’

Some of the pictures were just Kei alone, luckily, again, he wasn’t asked to smile or show any sort of positive emotion which helped. Some pictures were with Kuroo showing peace signs and wrapping himself around and onto Kei and being loud and enthusiastic and annoying.

But there was another thing Kuroo had been right about, even if he hadn’t addressed it.

The coffee helped.

Even if it was barely coffee, even if Kei didn’t usually drink it. Having something in his hand to focus on that wasn’t the environment or a phone or something  _ helped _ . Hiding his face behind the cup as he avoided this or that other situation, emotion, or person  _ helped _ . Rolling his eyes at someone’s antics and exasperatedly drinking from his cup  _ helped _ . He was surprised by it, but the coffee worked as some sort of defense armour that he could put between himself and the onslaught of people wanting pictures or to just pass through or to ask for the way or whatever.

Kuroo, with what seemed to be some sort of telepathic power, winked at him. Ke squeezed his cup a little and showed the tiniest smile.

But only the tiniest.

Kuroo shot him a very big smile back but other than that didn’t address the matter.

——

The first thing they saw was a stand of a fan artist.

A fan artist that did merchandise for a show that both Kuroo and Kei had been obsessing over.

Only neither of them had known that the other one was a fan. Let alone this much.

So when they approached the poor girl that just wanted to sell some Carole and Tuesday merch they made an imposing impression on the girl. As they made a competition about buying the most outrageous merch.

“I’ll have the wall scroll.”

“Well, I’ll have the pillowcase.”

“Well, then I’ll have the doujin.”

“I’ll have their  _ series _ .”

The poor girl, not understanding what was happening but understanding as much as her entire stall being bought up, handed them all their items and received the money in return, close to tears nonetheless.

Kuroo and Kei eventually both backed down in fear of losing all their money too early into the con.

There was an autographing hour of Bokuto’s favourite manga artist.

Their favourite volleyball anime got confirmed for a season four. Next year.

A panel of Kei’s favourite voice actors answering questions. He hadn’t quite gotten into their most recent shows but he adored their chemistry overall and they were quite funny as a group.

Kuroo silently called him ‘adorable’ for ‘giggling’. Kei hit him for it, but only lightly.

Bokuto and Akaashi entered a couple cosplay competition, using their Naruto and Hinata cosplays.

They got second place.

Kei was as upset about it as they were, after all, since he had helped them make the costumes from scratch—they should get an appropriate amount of recognition for it.

They were on their way to the next panel with a little time to kill as Kei saw adorable little figurines of various fruits and pastries.

There is an adorable little strawberry cake one that looks  _ puny _ in his hands.

“Something caught your interest?” Kuroo teased, suddenly much closer to him than before.

“No, no.” He dropped the little keychain back to where he got it from. “I was just admiring the handy work is all.” It’s not like he could admit to liking small and cute stuff. Let alone things that were shaped like candy.

His cheeks felt vaguely warm but surely that was an illusion.

“If you say so,” Kuroo said, a knowing and smug smirk on his lips. The kind that made Kei really hate him but also made him feel all excited in the stomach.

“I’ll have this one and that one and uhhh… this one as well. Oh wait, one more for good measure.”

The person at the stall for cute and adorable things gave Kuroo his items and nodded at him thankfully as they received their money.

Kuroo gave Kei the strawberry cake keychain he had been ogling before, “One for you,” then he gave him a little coffee mug one that was just as adorable as the cake chain, “One more to have a pair.” Then he held up a little mackerel pike one, “One for me so we match,” and then a little black cat one with a smug look on its face, “And one more for Bokuto to annoy him.”

Kei was honestly stunned at the action and failed to form a proper response for it. Luckily he didn’t have to.

“Kuroo is buying sweets as courting gifts? Are you an aspiring sugar daddy or something?”

Akaashi’s quite offensive call out had caught Kuroo off guard, who just sputtered and failed to defend himself properly. Kei, in the meantime, got a moment to collect himself again, and to snicker at Kuroo’s expense. Not as loud as Bokuto though, who whooped loudly and startled the surrounding stalls and con-goers.

“Now let’s go fix up our costumes,” Akaashi said, “we need to look presentable for the next event and Koutarou has made three rips already.”

Kuroo and Akaashi shared a look that Kei was quite wary of, knowing both of their personalities well enough by now that them being on the same side for something usually meant trouble for others. Kei decided that the best course of action, for now, was to focus on the calm and quiet moments.

——

There were actual rooms for fixing up cosplays. They felt like some sort of magical liminal space. The noise from the actual halls was kept out quite decently, and the people inside the rooms kept their voices hushed as they talked.

Bokuto had to take off most of his costume to have Akaashi fix it for him, and Kuroo had sat down next to Kei to help him with some minor issues as well.

“Watch out with the wrap scarf,” Kuroo said in a quiet voice. “If it keeps falling off your shoulders, you might lose it soon.”

Kuroo pulled a fix-it kit out of nowhere and unwrapped Kei’s scarf from around him to redo the entire thing, keeping it all in place with a few stitches and safety pins.

After he was done and had checked that everything was where it belonged, he didn’t move away. Instead, his eyes raked over Kei’s face, as if asking permission for more.

Kei couldn’t stand the tension between them—it was suffocating him, making it hard to breathe.

This,  _ thing _ , between them, the semi-official one, was new. And they hadn’t done anything too… intimate or official in public. Barely anything at all in the privacy of their own homes.

But then again, this place didn’t quite feel public; hell it didn’t quite feel  _ real _ at all.

And Kei really wanted to kiss Kuroo just then.

So he moved in, closer, and oh so gently, Kuroo placed a hand on his cheek, guiding their faces together, for what must be the sweetest and gentlest kiss in the world.

After but a moment Kuroo released him again, and Kei inhaled shakily, still too weak to deal with the intensity that was Kuroo Tetsuro.

Kuroo gave him the softest, smallest smile, and went back to his own space, releasing the tension between them into the world.

Kei adjusted his glasses and got up quickly, legs still a little shaky from their previous actions.

Kuroo got up as well, gently placing his hand on Kei’s lower back as he noticed the others’ unsteady stance, and removing it again as he stood secure again.

“Alright then,” Akaashi said to them, “off to the stage.”

“What stage?”

——

Kei had been  **absolutely fucking right** when he had been wary of both the looks Kuroo and Akaashi shared both when they decided  _ which _ day Kei would spend cosplaying with them AND then one they had shared at the sweet things stall.

They would be on stage.

Performing.

**In costume.**

Akaashi had been unimpressed by Kei’s poisonous looks but Kuroo had the decency to look awkward about the whole situation. 

“Well, we had booked for four people and originally—well, my ex was gonna come but well, as you know she wasn’t keen and then well uh, things happened and you know… now we’re here.” He shrugged awkwardly in conclusion.

Kei was still angry at him (and Akaashi) for roping him into this but at least Kuroo was awkward as well.

“All right, what do you need me to do?”

——

Being on stage was… surprisingly not as terrible as he had expected.

The crowd was enthusiastic about everything they did, and while Bokuto and Kuroo took the attention and the front stage, Akaashi and Kei were encouraged to stick to one-liners and roasts.

Kei just had to stay in character is all. Easy enough—he just had channeled his inner done teacher energy which had built up over his reign as volleyball captain in high school, and to remember people’s names.

He also had surprisingly little stage fright; at least once he was  _ on _ the stage and moving and acting with some sort of goal and intention. After all, if he could play volleyball on live television on the national stage, he could speak a few lines in front of a few hundred people in Tokyo while in costume dressed as someone else.

They had quite a few gigs actually. The improv at the beginning, a staged fight between “Naruto” and “Present Mic” that consisted mostly of them yelling at each other. A quite sweet and also surprisingly well-choreographed dance sequence with “Naruto” and “Hinata”.

But Kei’s favourite one was the last, which was just “Mic”, on a folding chair, with a guitar provided by the event hosters (but previously requested, apparently) and a microphone. The same sort of set up next to him, but unattended.

Kuroo had a handful of songs to sing, some covers and others original. One song in particular really got to Kei, a song about pretty boys messing with your head.

Well, that one he knew by heart.

It was written about him after all.

Kei hadn’t quite known why there was a free chair and a Mic next to Kuroo, but Kei took it as an invitation now.

They concluded their act with Kei and Kuroo singing about spinning heads together.

As the song tuned out and the crowd erupted off their seats to cheer for their performance Kei was so overwhelmed by sweet, burning affection that he was seconds away from taking Kuroo’s face into his hands then and there and make out with him in front of a live audience.

Kei wasn’t keen on that sort of exhibitionism though, no matter how tempting the moment, and Akaashi and Bokuto joined them back on stage at that moment to bow to the crowd of cheering people.

With their act finished Kuroo and Kei took their chairs and their mics with them and freed the stage for the announcer.

No matter how reserved, or how uninterested in open affection Kei was, he couldn’t help but send the gentlest smile at Kuroo as they walked off stage. Kuroo sent the same sort of smile back.

——

The tube back home felt like some sort of magical liminal stage as well.

There were some people in costumes and other people dressed in full-on business suits. The sun was setting behind them, and Akaashi was asleep on Bokuto’s shoulder. He had already changed out of his costume for the most part, and Bokuto’s hands absentmindedly stroked through his hair.

“How did you find it?” Kuroo asked quietly into the silence of the tube.

Kei thought about it. “It was fun, honestly. More so than I had expected. I wouldn’t mind going again.”

Kuroo looked at him again, the biggest, genuine smile on his face. The setting sun gave him a sort of ethereal glow.

Kei then raised a bag of merch from his lap and gave Kuroo a tender kiss in the impromptu privacy. Before the other could get any ideas though, he lowered the bag again and pretended nothing happened.

Kuroo positively glowed next to him.

——

Kei was usually keen to get out of his clothes after a long day, but that day had been even longer than most others he felt.

He was so done he straight up dropped most of his clothes in the entryway and groaned loudly, keen to announce his lack of fucks to give about the world just then.

To his bad luck, though, his displeasure with the world was interrupted by yelping and barking and an enthusiastic dog smacking against several walls as it ran to him with too much speed.

“Come here, boy,” Kei said, sitting down in front of his enthusiastic roommate, and being almost run over by him.

The door opened and closed behind him again.

“What a greeting, am I right?” Kei’s dog abandoned him instantly to greet Kuroo instead, who hadn’t expected the enthusiasm and was knocked off his feet.

Luckily, he was still close to the entryway, so he didn’t fall as much since he was smacked backwards into the door, and he struggled to put his things down to greet the dog properly.

Kei, in turn, brought his attention to their fourth roommate, who sat in the entry to the living room and looked at them quietly from a distance away.

“Hey there, boy,” Kei said, approaching the cat cautiously, holding his hand out. The cat got up moments before they met and rubbed his face against Kei’s hand, purring with enthusiasm.

After the appropriate greetings were made, Kuroo proposed dinner.

“Nothing too big for me thanks. I’m still worn from the day.” 

Kuroo nodded at that and went off to the kitchen.

Kei, for his part, took all the loot they had gotten that day and put it in the bedroom. The pets started to entertain each other again, friendly jabs and playful protests all around.

Kei put on his pajamas since he was in the bedroom already, and then yelled into the kitchen to ask if Kuroo wanted to watch anything.

“You can decide, Tsukki, it’s fine.” Kuroo sliced some cucumbers to put next to some absolutely stunning looking bread. Kuroo was no gourmet chef, but he sure could make it look like he was. “Since I’m just making bread do you want a tea or something?”

Kei thought for a moment, it was a good drink to let the day run out with.

“Sure, I’ll have it black.”

Kei sat down on the couch, feeling snuggly enough to have stolen the bedroom blanket, and the dog curling at his feet as he decided what to watch.

Kei was ready to scroll through their various streaming subscriptions but the first thing he saw was  _ perfect _ for a night like this, and since both parties had seen the show already he just let it run, waiting for Kuroo to come with the food. 

“One black tea with their dinner for my little ray of sunshine,” Kuroo said, giving Kei his food and drink. Kei made a playfully disapproving face at the remark but took his dinner gratefully. “And the same thing for me,” he added, he said, putting his own plate and mug on the table next to the couch.

He snuggled himself into the free spot between said couch table and Kei and slung one arm around his companion to eat his food with the other. “Good choice,” he said, stuffing his face and watching tv.

Kei looked at him, looked at him deep and thoroughly.

He was lucky, truly lucky to be blessed with such a smart and wonderful and kind soul to lighten up his day with. He was lucky they got to watch TV together and eat dinner after a long and eventful and fun day. He was lucky he could bring his childhood dog into the big city after he moved out, he got lucky that Kuroo’s cat had eventually warmed up to him enough to join them on his blanket for dinner time (even if the ‘bed making’ would surely leave some permanent damage in his blanket).

He got lucky with this entire situation. With the fact that he had moved where he did, with the fact that he got invited to the con, and had two more days to be exhausted by it, with the fact that he got such a wonderful human soul to shower him with attention like that, even if it made him uncomfortable.

“What’s the matter with you? Why aren’t you eating?” Kuroo asked, at that point already done with dinner and halfway through with his tea.

Well, it wasn’t like he would tell him all those things. So instead, he placed a gentle hand on Kuroo’s jaw and moved their faces closer to kiss him properly.

Kuroo hummed appreciatively against his lips and made Kei feel all sorts of excited.

“It’s nothing.” Kei said, after he released the other again, turning to his food now and watching Carole and Tuesday jam out together.

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is so sweet and painless i swear it put a dent in my brain


End file.
